"Such a large amount of investment is very impressive," Han Juduo, a driver for a Buddhist monk, wrote in the book.

Arnulf Kolstad, a professor from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, said the exhibition demonstrated that great changes did take place in Tibet, and such changes benefited the Tibetans.

He said there had been all kinds of rumors about Tibet in the West, and the exhibition made clear they were just rumors.

Fan Yuelong, a student from the Beijing-based Capital Normal University, said he had no idea Tibet had developed so fast, and the pictures showing the past and the present were impressive.

"This exhibition should be put on in foreign countries, instead of just in China, so that people around the world will have a better understanding of Tibet," said Zhao Xin, a tourist from northwest China's Xinjiang.

The free exhibition is jointly sponsored by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council Information Office and the Tibet Autonomous Region. It will run till July 25.

(Xinhua News Agency May 5, 2008)